Warning: Hot Sports Opinions Follow
For those of you wanting to give into ESPN radio/Jim Rome-style knee-jerk reactions and mouth breathing, which would lay the short-comings of this Dallas Cowboys' season solely at the feet of QB Tony Romo, you:
1) Clearly haven't been watching every game this season
and
2) Are a bad Cowboy's fan.
I'm sure that sounds like the words of a Romo apologist to you non-believers (i.e. "haters"). However...
Yes, Romo's personal play tonight was frustrating. Under-throwing to Austin in the opening quarter for the first interception of the night brought back images of the Chicago 5-INT game. Thankfully, no harm, no foul, as WASH came away with zero points after taking over. But the killer image everyone is left with until '13 Oxnard training camp is of Romo's poorest-timed interception of the entire season with just around three minutes left in regulation. But that wasn't even the back-breaker.
No, it just overshadows Hatcher's "hands to the face" penalty on RGIII about a minute later, when the Dallas D had WASH on third-and-goal and the 'Skins decided to pass. And that was Dallas' first penalty of the entire game. One of the most-penalized defenses in the league...if not the most. I don't care to look it up. But if the D makes that stop (or Hatcher keeps his hands down): field goal, WASH up by 6, Dallas has the ball with about 2:20 left and the 2-minute warning. F! There's still a chance.
Still a chance at the playoffs, despite: the numerous season-ending injuries on defense (no Sean Lee), five games without DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant playing some of his best in the last three games with a broken hand, Doug Free still being started up until about two weeks ago, a Defense made up of dudes working at RadioShack days before, lip-reading Rob Ryan's always level-headed epithets, and no freaking O-Line.
Which comes back to Romo. This guy has been running for his life the majority of every down, every game of the season. He nearly had to pull magic out of Ryan Cook's butt on each and every snap. If you didn't see it, you weren't watching.
Romo had next to no protection all season long. He scrambled, dodged, and weaved his way to making something out of nothing time and time again. And because of those very efforts:
1) Dallas played for a chance at the playoffs against WASH
and
2) Made that last INT even more painful.
Because we as fans had hope. Which is a very dangerous thing. Escape leads to hope. And when you place your hope in something that can't be sustained, you're destined to suffer a broken heart.
Let's be honest. If we were to travel back in time to first day of camp in July 2012 and ask ourselves, as nothing more than mere fans, if the Cowboys would be in Super Bowl XLVII, let alone the playoffs, how sure would we be? So when it came down to likely needing to win seven of the last eight of the regular season to make the cut...there's utter shock and outrage with the outcome of the final game?
So, it's Romo's fault, huh? Fine. Who do you want instead? Trade him and start Orton next year and pray to pick up the next Russel Wilson in the draft? That sure sounds like a solid approach. You tell me who the next Wilson is, oh wise one. No Lucks nor RGIIIs to be seen so far in the next Draft.
Speaking of the Draft: Dallas addressed the Corner issue this year. Next time around should address the O-Line and not much else until deeper in. But who else wants to bet that Jerry Jones does something entirely bat-shit crazy? Something like drafting Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu in the first round while giving away numerous other picks. I'm practicing my "shocked face."
Alas, I've gotten a little off-track. Not unlike the Cowboys of the last sixteen years.
Yes, Romo can be the Homer Simpson of the Cowboys: simultaneously the cause and savior to most of the offense's problems. It's frustrating.
But it's equally frustrating when not put in context of the league as a whole. Romo has the magnifying glass trained squarely on his back because he's QB of the Dallas Cowboys. He plays instead in Oakland, Cleveland, Kansas City, San Diego, etc, etc, etc and it's a non-story on the nation scale we have today Is the scrutiny partly a result of Romo's appearingly nonchalant, once-upon-a-time in Cabo, "if this is the worst thing that happens to me" attitude? Yeah, those things don't help.
I guess people want to see him pissed in the post-game. Yeah, now and then I find myself asking for a little more fire. But then I think of how he's probably dog-ass tired from running for his life on every offensive play. In-between picking himself back up off the turf. And I don't hear him making excuses about that.
This whole thing reminds me of my friend. She, a Denver fan. When Tebow was shipped off to New Jersey earlier this year, she made a Facebook promise to all of her closest-in-life that she swore off following the team. I don't hear much (well, any) of that since they locked up the #1 overall seed in the AFC. Insert here something about getting to look a Gift Bronco in the mouth.
That applies with the Cowboys. Fine. Abra-Kazam! You're now Jerry Jones. What do you want to do at QB, slick?
Personally, I work out Romo's contract extension to fit within the cap for the next three-to-five years, I get him some damn O-Line protection, and look for that next Russel Wilson (i.e. "Romo") in the next two-to-three drafts so he can learn a lot from the current starter. Because whoever comes after Romo is going to have to know what to expect as long as Jerry Jones (Owner, President, & GM) is calling the shots.
Musings from a sports fan with an opinion on pretty much everything.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Dallas Mavericks: Mid-Season Reaction
After this thing started 0-3, with an Opening Day thumping at the hands of the mighty Miami Heat, and practically a whole new cast of characters, I don't think many would have bet the Mavs would have a 21-13 record, sitting at #2 in the Southwest Division, with the overall #4 seed in the West at the midway point of the season. The masses just wouldn't. Only the die hards would believe this thing had a chance.
I admit it, I had the knee-jerk reaction. The, "oh, wow, this could be a very long season." But then I remember, this is an organization that has put together a string of 11-consecutive seasons of 50 or more wins. One that is willing to try new things. Go after players. Make trades.
A co-worker told me a very interesting rumor today regarding the Mavs and a potential trade. Despite my best Googling, I couldn't come up with a single source to corroborate. I'll proceed to reiterate what he told me, even though you might as well consider it nothing more than pure conjecture.
The rumor goes: during All-Star weekend in Orlando, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams were spotted chatting. Both of them are the most-prized free agents in the next off-season, after the sign-and-trade of Chris Paul to the Clips at the start of the season. The NBA trade deadline quickly approaches in the next two weeks. Howard's Magic and Williams' Nets will look to get something instead of nothing for the both of them in that time frame. This rumor has us imagine a world where the both of them end up in Dallas uniforms for the remainder of this season and for years to come.
Oh, the speculation this generates!
As a business decision, it's a no brainer. Take the deal. Sign both of them. Give the other teams what they want as long as Dirk stays.
But what a decision. It would hurt to see guys like Kidd and Marion go. To me, all signs point to this being Kidd's last season and I'd like to see him close it out in the uni he was drafted in. And Marion, he's been the heart and soul of the club this year. He's the only one to play every game and he's putting up damn fine numbers.
Who knows? Throw in Haywood, Roddy B, and Lamar Odom and maybe Orlando goes for that. Can't say as I'd miss Odom going on his way, right now. Even though I still think that as soon as I put in writing my curses at his lackluster play, that's the instant Odom suddenly puts together a triple-double in Game 7 of the Finals. Which wouldn't matter, since in this dream world 1) the Mavs made it back to the Finals this year and 2) apparently my insignificant writings here have some sort of influence over the cosmos. In which case I should be writing about PowerBall numbers instead.
Regardless, the trade rumors are going to come hot and heavy over the next week. Dudes talked to one another at the All-Star game; players and owners alike. Owners aren't going to be left empty-handed for their stars that are set to walk. And I fully believe that any team that makes it into the playoffs this year has more of a fighting chance at a ring than in any other year since 1998. Teams that might not otherwise be in the market for a trade any other year will probably jump in this time around.
And at this point in the season, the Mavs have been showing a craftiness in playing different angles. They know that, statistically, the team that leads at the end of the first and second quarters typically goes on to win. They have won most of those games. They know that this season is a grind. The Mavs have 9 games in the next 12 days. Resting Dirk and Kidd has been important. Having the fourth-highest scoring bench and fourth-fewest points allowed per game. And then there's the stat that Jeff Van Gundy threw out in the last Mavs game before the break, which could almost be construed as a positive from that sourpuss: that Kidd has attempted something in the ballpark of 130 shots this season, and 107 have been from 3-point range. A stat like that sends me the signal that the Mavs are playing the stats.
It reminds me of the concept that if you're trying to improve your weaknesses you're wasting your time, rather than focusing on playing to your strengths. If someone like Kidd, clocking in at 38, doesn't have the knees he once did, but he's the #3 all-time three-point shooter in the NBA, then play to his strengths. And play to the strength of defense and win the first half.
Should be an exciting run in the second half.
I admit it, I had the knee-jerk reaction. The, "oh, wow, this could be a very long season." But then I remember, this is an organization that has put together a string of 11-consecutive seasons of 50 or more wins. One that is willing to try new things. Go after players. Make trades.
A co-worker told me a very interesting rumor today regarding the Mavs and a potential trade. Despite my best Googling, I couldn't come up with a single source to corroborate. I'll proceed to reiterate what he told me, even though you might as well consider it nothing more than pure conjecture.
The rumor goes: during All-Star weekend in Orlando, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams were spotted chatting. Both of them are the most-prized free agents in the next off-season, after the sign-and-trade of Chris Paul to the Clips at the start of the season. The NBA trade deadline quickly approaches in the next two weeks. Howard's Magic and Williams' Nets will look to get something instead of nothing for the both of them in that time frame. This rumor has us imagine a world where the both of them end up in Dallas uniforms for the remainder of this season and for years to come.
Oh, the speculation this generates!
As a business decision, it's a no brainer. Take the deal. Sign both of them. Give the other teams what they want as long as Dirk stays.
But what a decision. It would hurt to see guys like Kidd and Marion go. To me, all signs point to this being Kidd's last season and I'd like to see him close it out in the uni he was drafted in. And Marion, he's been the heart and soul of the club this year. He's the only one to play every game and he's putting up damn fine numbers.
Who knows? Throw in Haywood, Roddy B, and Lamar Odom and maybe Orlando goes for that. Can't say as I'd miss Odom going on his way, right now. Even though I still think that as soon as I put in writing my curses at his lackluster play, that's the instant Odom suddenly puts together a triple-double in Game 7 of the Finals. Which wouldn't matter, since in this dream world 1) the Mavs made it back to the Finals this year and 2) apparently my insignificant writings here have some sort of influence over the cosmos. In which case I should be writing about PowerBall numbers instead.
Regardless, the trade rumors are going to come hot and heavy over the next week. Dudes talked to one another at the All-Star game; players and owners alike. Owners aren't going to be left empty-handed for their stars that are set to walk. And I fully believe that any team that makes it into the playoffs this year has more of a fighting chance at a ring than in any other year since 1998. Teams that might not otherwise be in the market for a trade any other year will probably jump in this time around.
And at this point in the season, the Mavs have been showing a craftiness in playing different angles. They know that, statistically, the team that leads at the end of the first and second quarters typically goes on to win. They have won most of those games. They know that this season is a grind. The Mavs have 9 games in the next 12 days. Resting Dirk and Kidd has been important. Having the fourth-highest scoring bench and fourth-fewest points allowed per game. And then there's the stat that Jeff Van Gundy threw out in the last Mavs game before the break, which could almost be construed as a positive from that sourpuss: that Kidd has attempted something in the ballpark of 130 shots this season, and 107 have been from 3-point range. A stat like that sends me the signal that the Mavs are playing the stats.
It reminds me of the concept that if you're trying to improve your weaknesses you're wasting your time, rather than focusing on playing to your strengths. If someone like Kidd, clocking in at 38, doesn't have the knees he once did, but he's the #3 all-time three-point shooter in the NBA, then play to his strengths. And play to the strength of defense and win the first half.
Should be an exciting run in the second half.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Yahoo! Sports: Report: Irsay to meet with Manning in next week
The article:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ajxyk3pSNDjjPTWhDGPiINs5nYcB?slug=ap-colts-manning
Quoted in the article, Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay, said this regarding franchise QB Peyton Manning:
“We can make it work if he wants to be here...We’d be excited to have him back and finish his career with us."
Um, nice deflection, Irsay. Way to put it on all on Peyton, as if he didn't sign a contract prior to his injury, with the intention of playing in a Colts' jersey for the duration of his professional career.
Irsay continued:
“I want him to be able to make the choice. We would love to have him back here if he can get healthy and we can look at doing a contract that reflects the uncertainty of the … healing process with the regeneration of the nerve.”
Again, Manning already signed a contract.
If there was some sort of clause along the lines of, "if he doesn't play for an entire season, sustains a potentially career-ending injury, and the team takes a total nose dive, resulting in the guaranteed best-chance #1 pick since Peyton Manning himself in '98," I'm sure they would have played that card already.
But they haven't. And this now sounds like a game of chicken. Calling Manning's bluff. Or at the very least, like a very rich man, who has become even more wealthy, trying to get out of a $28 million dollar bonus owed to Manning come March 8.
If Irsay cuts Manning prior to March 8, he saves $28 million and can use it toward rebuilding his franchise. He also does so at his own risk.
Manning made Indianapolis relevant on the national level. He brought them nationally televised games and a heated rivalry with the New England Patriots. He helped them build a new stadium. He took them to two Super Bowls in four years, winning one of them. And he sold a shitload of blue and white jerseys. He is that damn team.
I understand that Irsay has to look at this as a business decision. I respect the difficult spot, stuck between loyalty to the old guard and looking ahead to the new. But saying things that shuffle the decision over to Manning I don't understand. Offer the media something like "we'll be meeting soon" or "Peyton is an important part of this organization" and be done with it. Less is better.
This QB changed the history of Colts football. Volleying the issue back to him sends me a message that some of that has been forgotten by studying numbers.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ajxyk3pSNDjjPTWhDGPiINs5nYcB?slug=ap-colts-manning
Quoted in the article, Indianapolis Colts owner, Jim Irsay, said this regarding franchise QB Peyton Manning:
“We can make it work if he wants to be here...We’d be excited to have him back and finish his career with us."
Um, nice deflection, Irsay. Way to put it on all on Peyton, as if he didn't sign a contract prior to his injury, with the intention of playing in a Colts' jersey for the duration of his professional career.
Irsay continued:
“I want him to be able to make the choice. We would love to have him back here if he can get healthy and we can look at doing a contract that reflects the uncertainty of the … healing process with the regeneration of the nerve.”
Again, Manning already signed a contract.
If there was some sort of clause along the lines of, "if he doesn't play for an entire season, sustains a potentially career-ending injury, and the team takes a total nose dive, resulting in the guaranteed best-chance #1 pick since Peyton Manning himself in '98," I'm sure they would have played that card already.
But they haven't. And this now sounds like a game of chicken. Calling Manning's bluff. Or at the very least, like a very rich man, who has become even more wealthy, trying to get out of a $28 million dollar bonus owed to Manning come March 8.
If Irsay cuts Manning prior to March 8, he saves $28 million and can use it toward rebuilding his franchise. He also does so at his own risk.
Manning made Indianapolis relevant on the national level. He brought them nationally televised games and a heated rivalry with the New England Patriots. He helped them build a new stadium. He took them to two Super Bowls in four years, winning one of them. And he sold a shitload of blue and white jerseys. He is that damn team.
I understand that Irsay has to look at this as a business decision. I respect the difficult spot, stuck between loyalty to the old guard and looking ahead to the new. But saying things that shuffle the decision over to Manning I don't understand. Offer the media something like "we'll be meeting soon" or "Peyton is an important part of this organization" and be done with it. Less is better.
This QB changed the history of Colts football. Volleying the issue back to him sends me a message that some of that has been forgotten by studying numbers.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
ESPN: Bucs, Yanks talk A.J. Burnett
Article found here:
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7574871/new-york-yankees-pittsburgh-pirates-working-aj-burnett-trade-sources-say
In short, if you didn't feel like reading the article, the New York Yankees are attempting to dump starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, and a hefty amount of his remaining contract, on the consistently bottom-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates.
Let me ask this simple question: why would any other MLB club ever, ever do business with the Yankees? Aside from a situation where a player is refusing to sign a contract extension and a team doesn't want to be left with nothing in return, they're asking to get screwed. There is absolutely no bargaining power with the biggest payroll in the league. Except if the Not-Yankees hold fast and realize that the Actual-Yanks are probably in a payroll bind.
http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7574871/new-york-yankees-pittsburgh-pirates-working-aj-burnett-trade-sources-say
In short, if you didn't feel like reading the article, the New York Yankees are attempting to dump starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, and a hefty amount of his remaining contract, on the consistently bottom-dwelling Pittsburgh Pirates.
Let me ask this simple question: why would any other MLB club ever, ever do business with the Yankees? Aside from a situation where a player is refusing to sign a contract extension and a team doesn't want to be left with nothing in return, they're asking to get screwed. There is absolutely no bargaining power with the biggest payroll in the league. Except if the Not-Yankees hold fast and realize that the Actual-Yanks are probably in a payroll bind.
The Yankees have the largest payroll in the league. According to ESPN.com, their payroll in 2011 was $196,854,630, dwarfing the #2 Phillies by an additional $24 million.
The Yanks' farm system is a mess, if not entirely non-existent. NY overpays for talent, burns through them on the way to a title or two, and then tries to ship them off to small markets once they've either served their purpose or turned up duds. Case in point, talk of A.J. Burnett to the Pirates. Pittsburgh, who rolls in at the #27 spot for total payroll in the league, just over $46m, would be entirely justified in telling NY to take a hike:
"Currently, the framework of the deal has the Yankees exchanging Burnett for an undetermined number of prospects, and in return, the Pirates would agree to assume a portion of the remaining $33 million on Burnett's contract, which has two more years remaining on it."
"Ten million ain't gonna get it done," said the Yankees source, referring to the amount of Burnett's salary the Pirates have agreed to pay. "Not unless we get top-level prospects."
Ten million isn't nearly enough in this potential deal for 27-time World Series winning NY? Let me speak in terms they understand: F that. They bought their tickets, they knew what they were doing...I say, let 'em crash.
Bad deal. Pittsburgh needs to say "no," concentrate on their young talent, and continue down the path that they started in the first half of last season, when they were in contention for the National League Central.
The Yanks' farm system is a mess, if not entirely non-existent. NY overpays for talent, burns through them on the way to a title or two, and then tries to ship them off to small markets once they've either served their purpose or turned up duds. Case in point, talk of A.J. Burnett to the Pirates. Pittsburgh, who rolls in at the #27 spot for total payroll in the league, just over $46m, would be entirely justified in telling NY to take a hike:
"Currently, the framework of the deal has the Yankees exchanging Burnett for an undetermined number of prospects, and in return, the Pirates would agree to assume a portion of the remaining $33 million on Burnett's contract, which has two more years remaining on it."
"Ten million ain't gonna get it done," said the Yankees source, referring to the amount of Burnett's salary the Pirates have agreed to pay. "Not unless we get top-level prospects."
Ten million isn't nearly enough in this potential deal for 27-time World Series winning NY? Let me speak in terms they understand: F that. They bought their tickets, they knew what they were doing...I say, let 'em crash.
Bad deal. Pittsburgh needs to say "no," concentrate on their young talent, and continue down the path that they started in the first half of last season, when they were in contention for the National League Central.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Dallas Mavericks: Game 29 Reaction
The second regular season meeting between these two teams, Mavs and Clippers, proved equally as entertaining as their first meeting in LA back in mid-January. While the Mavs having home court might have given a little lift to the team, I think the real difference between the two games, as close as they both were, was with the Mavs gelling as a team. Defense at the forefront.
The Clips walked away with a buzzer-beating win in the last match-up, off a Chauncey Billups three. Chris Paul was the one to sit-out that first meeting. Fast-forward to Feb. 13 and Chauncey and Paul switch places; Billups presumably, out for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles.
The 96-92 final score in favor of the Mavs, from my viewing, can be attributed to:
1) Great first half from Brendan Heywood. I don't see any official blocks attributed to him in the final box score, but he seemed to have his hands all over the Clippers' possessions and tallied nine big rebounds.
2) Shawn Marion and Delonte West did a great job of controlling Chris Paul as much as anyone can. And when Paul was double-covered, the Mavs still prevented Griffin and DeAndre Jordan from putting up uncontested, score-at-will lobs and/or dunks.
3) Odom showed some life! A total of nine points isn't amazing by any means, but the big man brought a combined offensive/defensive spark when the Mavs needed one in the second quarter. Flashes of the Odom we all know is in there!
4) Griffin going 1/8 at the free throw line. Thank you!
5) Vince Carter is playing like a veteran who thinks he has a shot at a title and, more importantly, wants one. That's just the sort of infectious attitude that a fan hopes spreads.
In the weeks since the first game between these two, Dirk has taken his training break and returned, Kidd has gotten healthy, and the new pieces of the team have clearly bought into the defensive system that Coach Carlisle is preaching. It's working. When the Mavs slow on scoring in the fourth, their defense has been keeping them in close ones.
It was entertaining to hear the Clippers' FOX Sports play-by-play crew pontificate that we could be witnessing a preview of a Western Conference match-up, if not the Western Finals. The way the first two meetings have played out, it would promise to be a hell of a series: great defense, clutch shooting, high-flying spectacle, and close scores.
In the pre-game festivities, it was great to hear Carlisle give a passionate talk to the AAC's crowd regarding the character and determination of Caron Butler, a key player in the Mavs' successes last year. Great to see him receive his ring in front of the appreciative Dallas crowd.
The Clips walked away with a buzzer-beating win in the last match-up, off a Chauncey Billups three. Chris Paul was the one to sit-out that first meeting. Fast-forward to Feb. 13 and Chauncey and Paul switch places; Billups presumably, out for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles.
The 96-92 final score in favor of the Mavs, from my viewing, can be attributed to:
1) Great first half from Brendan Heywood. I don't see any official blocks attributed to him in the final box score, but he seemed to have his hands all over the Clippers' possessions and tallied nine big rebounds.
2) Shawn Marion and Delonte West did a great job of controlling Chris Paul as much as anyone can. And when Paul was double-covered, the Mavs still prevented Griffin and DeAndre Jordan from putting up uncontested, score-at-will lobs and/or dunks.
3) Odom showed some life! A total of nine points isn't amazing by any means, but the big man brought a combined offensive/defensive spark when the Mavs needed one in the second quarter. Flashes of the Odom we all know is in there!
4) Griffin going 1/8 at the free throw line. Thank you!
5) Vince Carter is playing like a veteran who thinks he has a shot at a title and, more importantly, wants one. That's just the sort of infectious attitude that a fan hopes spreads.
In the weeks since the first game between these two, Dirk has taken his training break and returned, Kidd has gotten healthy, and the new pieces of the team have clearly bought into the defensive system that Coach Carlisle is preaching. It's working. When the Mavs slow on scoring in the fourth, their defense has been keeping them in close ones.
It was entertaining to hear the Clippers' FOX Sports play-by-play crew pontificate that we could be witnessing a preview of a Western Conference match-up, if not the Western Finals. The way the first two meetings have played out, it would promise to be a hell of a series: great defense, clutch shooting, high-flying spectacle, and close scores.
In the pre-game festivities, it was great to hear Carlisle give a passionate talk to the AAC's crowd regarding the character and determination of Caron Butler, a key player in the Mavs' successes last year. Great to see him receive his ring in front of the appreciative Dallas crowd.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Dallas Mavericks: Game 26 Reaction
After Dallas' 105-95 win at Denver tonight, here are my thoughts:
1) Good win on the road. Granted, a few extra days rest certainly helped older legs beat younger ones. In Denver, no less, where play-by-play is always quick to remind the viewing audience of the affect that the altitude plays.
2) Mavs have a 6-6 road record, one off the Nuggets' 7-6 home record. And the Nuggets are the ones that have been getting more attention so far this season.
3) Nice to see Dirk regaining his usual form: 25 points, 9 rebounds. Very nice.
4) Other players have stepped up while veterans, like Dirk, Kidd, have been out. Marion, Roddy B, Ian, West, Carter, all contributing solid minutes and scoring.
5) When is Odom going to show up? We all know he's in there. He has to show up. Any minute now. Right? Come on, man, you're just stringing us all along until the playoffs and then you're going to knock our socks off! ...Right?
Main take away: this thing is a playoff team. There is much reason for hope and for enjoyment. And as we quickly approach the mid-way point in the season, I have no reason to think that this thing won't be one of eight representing the West in April.
When Kidd gets healthy and Odom gets back to being Odom, I dare say this thing has a shot at the Finals again. Anything is possible this season. Especially for this rag-tag bunch.
1) Good win on the road. Granted, a few extra days rest certainly helped older legs beat younger ones. In Denver, no less, where play-by-play is always quick to remind the viewing audience of the affect that the altitude plays.
2) Mavs have a 6-6 road record, one off the Nuggets' 7-6 home record. And the Nuggets are the ones that have been getting more attention so far this season.
3) Nice to see Dirk regaining his usual form: 25 points, 9 rebounds. Very nice.
4) Other players have stepped up while veterans, like Dirk, Kidd, have been out. Marion, Roddy B, Ian, West, Carter, all contributing solid minutes and scoring.
5) When is Odom going to show up? We all know he's in there. He has to show up. Any minute now. Right? Come on, man, you're just stringing us all along until the playoffs and then you're going to knock our socks off! ...Right?
Main take away: this thing is a playoff team. There is much reason for hope and for enjoyment. And as we quickly approach the mid-way point in the season, I have no reason to think that this thing won't be one of eight representing the West in April.
When Kidd gets healthy and Odom gets back to being Odom, I dare say this thing has a shot at the Finals again. Anything is possible this season. Especially for this rag-tag bunch.
Sports Blowhard: Rodney Harrison
"Rob Gronkowski called out," reads the headline on ESPN.com.
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7555535/former-new-england-patriots-player-rodney-harrison-rob-gronkowski-partying-not-right
Rodney Harrison, former New England Patriots safety and current NBC Sunday Night Football commentator/sports blowhard, doesn't like the fact that current Pats TE Rob Gronkowski was witnessed celebrating at a party after the Giants' win in Super Bowl XLVI. Or perhaps it's that the video hit the internet. Either way, Harrison especially doesn't like that Gronk took off his shirt.
My knee-jerk reaction: Who gives an F?
Post-Super Bowl, the overwhelming amount of media reaction, from the Worldwide Leader more so than anywhere else, has focused on 1) New England losing, 2) Welker dropping a pass (phrased that way rather than "Welker not catching the ball"), and 3) Gronkowski dancing shirtless.
Again, who gives an F?
Apparently, Gronk can choose one of two reactions:
1) Hang his head and feel sorry about the ultimate outcome of the season, as Harrison approves of, or
2) Celebrate the fact that he had a killer season, won the AFC title, and was on the second-best team in all of the NFL.
One sounds a little better to me. Hey, #87 was one of Brady's most-reliable go-to's this year, hauling in 20 TDs. Then he's hit with a high ankle sprain at the worst possible time in the season? Is the sentiment that Rodney is trying to share with us that, "if Gronkowski is fit enough to dance, then he's fit enough to catch everything down field"?
"I guarantee you this, if Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, Larry Izzo, Richard Seymour, or myself had been at that party, [Gronkowski] probably would have got his head rung," said Harrison. Really? You catch the dude you depended on all year dancing and your first instinct is to gather a posse and beat your teammate with a sack of door knobs? That doesn't sound much like the team spirit I know.
Harrison continued, "It's not right. He made a mistake and I'm sure he feels absolutely stupid about it at this point."
Probably not. Yeah, maybe he feels bad the video made it out and onto the web, but I bet he doesn't regret celebrating.
We live in a Twitter world. After Harrison's last Super Bowl loss in '08, that wasn't as much the case. But it is now. Anything these guys do is highly likely to find a home on ESPN.com and the like, whereas those same actions probably stayed within the franchise in Harrison's day.
And I don't believe for a second that after New England's loss in '08, and the end of their near-perfect season, that not a single player celebrated. We just don't have access to the grainy, iPhone video to prove it.
If someone is misguided enough to parts ways with Gronk over something like this, I know there are 31 other teams ready to pick him up and celebrate alongside him.
http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7555535/former-new-england-patriots-player-rodney-harrison-rob-gronkowski-partying-not-right
Rodney Harrison, former New England Patriots safety and current NBC Sunday Night Football commentator/sports blowhard, doesn't like the fact that current Pats TE Rob Gronkowski was witnessed celebrating at a party after the Giants' win in Super Bowl XLVI. Or perhaps it's that the video hit the internet. Either way, Harrison especially doesn't like that Gronk took off his shirt.
My knee-jerk reaction: Who gives an F?
Post-Super Bowl, the overwhelming amount of media reaction, from the Worldwide Leader more so than anywhere else, has focused on 1) New England losing, 2) Welker dropping a pass (phrased that way rather than "Welker not catching the ball"), and 3) Gronkowski dancing shirtless.
Again, who gives an F?
Apparently, Gronk can choose one of two reactions:
1) Hang his head and feel sorry about the ultimate outcome of the season, as Harrison approves of, or
2) Celebrate the fact that he had a killer season, won the AFC title, and was on the second-best team in all of the NFL.
One sounds a little better to me. Hey, #87 was one of Brady's most-reliable go-to's this year, hauling in 20 TDs. Then he's hit with a high ankle sprain at the worst possible time in the season? Is the sentiment that Rodney is trying to share with us that, "if Gronkowski is fit enough to dance, then he's fit enough to catch everything down field"?
"I guarantee you this, if Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi, Larry Izzo, Richard Seymour, or myself had been at that party, [Gronkowski] probably would have got his head rung," said Harrison. Really? You catch the dude you depended on all year dancing and your first instinct is to gather a posse and beat your teammate with a sack of door knobs? That doesn't sound much like the team spirit I know.
Harrison continued, "It's not right. He made a mistake and I'm sure he feels absolutely stupid about it at this point."
Probably not. Yeah, maybe he feels bad the video made it out and onto the web, but I bet he doesn't regret celebrating.
We live in a Twitter world. After Harrison's last Super Bowl loss in '08, that wasn't as much the case. But it is now. Anything these guys do is highly likely to find a home on ESPN.com and the like, whereas those same actions probably stayed within the franchise in Harrison's day.
And I don't believe for a second that after New England's loss in '08, and the end of their near-perfect season, that not a single player celebrated. We just don't have access to the grainy, iPhone video to prove it.
If someone is misguided enough to parts ways with Gronk over something like this, I know there are 31 other teams ready to pick him up and celebrate alongside him.
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